751G.00/2–2154: Telegram
The Ambassador at Saigon (Heath) to the Department of State
1501. Repeated information Paris 456. Cf. Embtel 1495, February 19;1 penultimate paragraph Embtel 879, November 19, 1953. Navarre asked to see me before my dinner for Governor Stassen2 last night.
He remarked he wanted to speak to me with entire frankness. He said General Ely had received an inquiry, he understood from Admiral Radford, as to acceptability of General O’Daniel as replacement for General Trapnell. Ely had told him that proposed nomination would involve O’Daniel’s reduction to rank of Major General. Navarre told Ely that “of course” General O’Daniel would be very acceptable as replacement for Trapnell provided his attributions did not exceed those of Trapnell. He knew and liked General O’Daniel. He regretted that this appointment would involve O’Daniel’s temporarily losing “one star”. In view of newspaper stories regarding increase in powers and functions of MAAG, however, he wanted it clearly understood from start that his very willing acceptance of General O’Daniel was predicated on understanding that latter’s functions were limited to military assistance. He would always be glad to receive any suggestions and to hear O’Daniel’s ideas and he would be more than glad to accept presence, advice, and service of individual military specialists, including specialists on troops and officer training. Any good ideas the General or any of officers might produce would be put into effect wherever practical. It should be clearly understood that neither O’Daniel nor MAAG was to have any powers, [Page 1063] advisory or otherwise, in conduct and planning of operations or in training of national armies and cadres. As Commander-in-Chief he had supreme military responsibility here and he could not share or delegate it to MAAG or its chief. If any such idea were entertained, he would prefer to resign his command here.
He remarked that after long negotiations he had been successful in re-establishing his command over training of Vietnamese National Army. Ostensibly training of Vietnamese Army would still be vested in Vietnamese Defense Ministry, but latter had finally agreed that a French officer, who would be proposed by Navarre, would have command of such training and that latter would take such orders and guidance as Navarre might give him.
- Telegram 1495 from Saigon, Feb. 19, containing Ambassador Heath’s report of a discussion with Commissioner General Dejean, is not printed. (711.551/2–1954)↩
- Harold E. Stassen, Director of the Foreign Operations Administration, was on visit in Indochina in the course of a trip to Southeast Asia and the Pacific.↩